Scottish Funeral Support Payment

What is the Scottish Funeral Support Payment

Funeral Support Payment is a benefit provided by Social Security Scotland for people living in Scotland.

If you, or your partner, are paying for a funeral, you could get this one-off payment to help with some of the cost. 

One of you must be getting a low-income benefit to qualify, as well as meeting other eligibility criteria. 

The funeral can take place anywhere in the UK, or another country in certain circumstances. You can apply after the death and up to 6 months after the funeral. 

The payment can be for the funeral of an adult, child or stillborn child. A funeral is the burial, cremation or alkaline hydrolysis of a person who's died. It does not include:

• a memorial service or remembrance event, if it’s separate from the burial, cremation or alkaline hydrolysis

• burying someone’s ashes or powder after they’ve been cremated

Who can get the Funeral Support Payment

You can apply for the Funeral Support Payment if you’re living in Scotland. The person who died can have lived anywhere in the UK.

To be eligible for the payment, you or your partner must be:

• paying for a funeral

• the closest living relative and it's reasonable for you to pay for the funeral

• getting certain benefits

• within the time limit to apply 

Your partner is your spouse, civil partner or someone you're living with as a couple.

Benefits you or your partner must get

You, or your partner, must be getting one of these benefits at the time you apply for a Funeral Support Payment:

• Universal Credit

• Income Support

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 

• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) 

• Pension Credit

• Housing Benefit

• Child Tax Credit

• Working Tax Credit which includes a disability element or a severe disability element.

If you're paying for a funeral, you could get a payment if your partner is getting one of the qualifying benefits, even if you're not. Your partner is your spouse, civil partner or someone you're living with as a couple.

Funeral Support Payment won’t affect your other benefits.

If you're not currently getting one of these benefits

You can apply for a Funeral Support Payment if you or your partner starts getting a benefit up to 6 months after the funeral. You can apply after the 6 month deadline if you couldn't apply earlier because of coronavirus.

If you've applied for a benefit at the same time as applying for the Funeral Support Payment, tell Social Security Scotland. They'll wait to see whether you get the benefit before deciding your Funeral Support Payment application.

If you miss the 6 month time limit waiting for a benefit decision you can get more time to apply in some cases. Find out more about missing the deadline.

Get a benefit check

Get a benefit check if your or your partner's circumstances change up to 6 months after the funeral - for example, if you lose your job or your disability gets worse.

You can get advice from the Money Talk Team at your local Citizens Advice Bureau. You can call 0800 028 1456 to be directed to your local bureau. You can also find more information on the Money Talk Team website.

Check if you're the closest living relative

You'll get the payment if Social Security Scotland decides it was reasonable for you, or your partner, to be paying or have paid for the funeral. 

They're likely to think it was reasonable for you to pay if you, or your partner, are the closest living relative. This means how close you are in the family tree.

When you apply, Social Security Scotland will check if there was a closer relative to the person who died who could have paid for the funeral. 

You're the closest relative if there's no one else higher on the list. 

For an adult, the closest relative is:

• a husband, wife or civil partner - unless you were divorced or permanently separated

• a cohabiting partner - if you were living together as a couple for at least 6 months before they died or went into hospital

For a child, the closest relative is a parent.

There may be more than one person who was equally close to the person who died, like brothers and sisters.

If your partner is the closest relative, you can still get the payment. Make sure you tell Social Security Scotland when you apply.

If neither you nor your partner is the closest relative but you paid for the funeral, you'll need to explain why on your application. 

Speak to an adviser at your local Citizens Advice Bureau if you’re not sure if you're eligible for the payment.

Funerals outside the UK

If you're from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you can apply for a payment for a funeral in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

You'll be eligible if you or your partner:

• are a worker or self-employed person or have retained that status

• are a family member of a worker, a self-employed person or someone who has retained that status

• have a permanent right to reside in the UK

• have been granted limited or indefinite leave to remain in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme

• have applied under the EU Settlement Scheme and are awaiting a decision

Read more about the rights of EEA and Swiss nationals in the UK.

If you do not meet the criteria above, you can still apply for a payment for a funeral outside the UK. To get the payment there must exceptional circumstances which merit the payment for a funeral outside the UK.

The maximum payment you could get is capped at what your costs would be for a funeral in the UK, in the area where the person who died was living. The payment won’t cover any extra costs you might have, like transporting the body to another country. 

Before you apply

You can apply for the payment before the funeral takes place or up to 6 months after. 

Before you apply for the Funeral Support Payment you'll need to:

• register the death 

• check if they had a funeral plan - and other money to help pay for the funeral

• arrange the funeral.

Social Security Scotland needs to know if there's any money to help pay for the funeral and what the actual funeral costs will be. 

Think about who in your family should pay for any funeral costs before you sign a contract with a funeral director or crematorium. To get the Funeral Support Payment, the person who pays needs to be getting a low-income benefit and be eligible in other ways. Social Security Scotland will also check if there's a closer relative who could have paid.

Whether you're organising the whole funeral or paying extra on top of a funeral plan, check it's affordable. The amount of Funeral Support Payment you get will depend on your circumstances, but the average payment is expected to be £1,950. The average funeral costs over £3,500.

Check if the person who died had a funeral plan, savings or other money

You don't need to have settled their estate before you apply. But if they were over 18, you'll need to tell Social Security Scotland if the person who died had any money to help pay for the funeral.

Your Funeral Support Payment will be reduced by the total amount of money available. 

Check for:

• money in a current account - not joint accounts

• a funeral plan or similar arrangement

• an insurance policy - like an over-50s plan, Term Life Insurance or Whole-of-Life Assurance

• a burial club membership 

• a work pension.

Money in their estate that you have to go through a legal process to get won't be deducted from your payment. It will be recovered from their estate later. 

Example

If you're entitled to a Funeral Support Payment of £1,400, but the person who died had £400 in their account, your payment will be reduced to £1,000.

If they had more money than your Funeral Support Payment, your benefit will be reduced to £0. This is called a 'null award'.

Check what the insurance, funeral plan or burial club pays for 

You'll need to check that the insurance, funeral plan or burial club membership is valid, and what it covers. If it already covers everything that the Funeral Support Payment covers, you won't get a payment.

If it doesn't cover some elements, like a burial plot or cremation costs, you can claim for that.

If there's a funeral plan, you'll also get a flat-rate award of £153.50 for other costs. The funeral director can help you clarify what's covered by the funeral plan. 

If there's an insurance policy, a pension scheme or a burial club membership, the value of the scheme along with any other assets of the person who died, will be taken away from the higher flat rate of award of £1,257.75. 

Speak to the funeral director

Speak to the funeral director about ways to speed up your payment, like:

• allowing them to speak to Social Security Scotland 

• having the benefit paid directly to them - you don't need to do this if you’ve already settled the bill and need to be reimbursed, or you'd rather get the payment and transfer it to them.

Gather documents to help you apply

To complete the application, try to gather:

• National Insurance numbers - yours and the person who has died

• funeral director's name and address

• funeral bills - don't worry if you haven't got the funeral bill yet. Social Security Scotland can contact the funeral director to find out the cost of the funeral

• receipts for transport and travel

• receipts for medical documents you needed for the funeral

• details of any funeral grant you got from Veterans UK, if this applies

• details of any burial plot or lair your family owns in the UK

• details of any money the person who died had - this only applies if they were 18 or over

• the name and address of the executor - this is the person sorting out the assets of the person who died. It might be you, another family member or a solicitor.

Try to find any statements or documents for:

• bank accounts

• funeral plans

• burial club memberships 

• insurance or pensions.

Keep receipts for the cost of any documents you had to pay for to get hold of money in a funeral plan, insurance policy, pension or bank account - you can claim for the cost. 

You don't need to have sorted out the estate before you apply. 

How to apply for a Funeral Support Payment

You can apply: 

• online - at mygov.scot

• by phone - call 0800 182 2222 freephone

• by post - download a form from mygov.scot. There are separate forms if you're applying for the funeral of an adult or a child

If you're a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.

If you're close to the 6-month time limit, applying online or by phone is best. 

When to apply for a Funeral Support Payment

You can apply after the person has died and up to 6 months after the funeral.

If you're not eligible for the payment when the funeral happens, you should apply if you become eligible any time up to the time limit - for example, you start getting a benefit during that time.

You might get some extra time to apply if you're:

• waiting for a benefit decision

• late applying because of coronavirus.

Completing the application

When you apply online you'll complete some questions about your eligibility first. If it says you're not eligible you can continue, but it might be best to get advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau first. 

If you’re applying online or by post, use the box at the end of the form to explain:

• why it's reasonable for you to get the payment, if you're not the closest relative

• what's covered by the funeral plan, if there is one

• any other facts that you think will be important for your application.

You might find it easier to apply by phone. Write down notes of what you want to say before you call. Keep a note of who you spoke to and when. 

It's important to be accurate about how much money they had. If it will take time to find out the exact details or find these documents, you can still apply and say you 'don't know'. You might be asked to send documents to prove what you say. 

If you're applying by post, you can send evidence with your application form. Request a pre-paid envelope if you need one. 

Make sure you give a phone number because they'll call to discuss your application. You can request a call in British Sign Language or a range of other languages.

Keep any confirmation emails or texts you get after you submit your application. It's proof of when you applied.

Help to apply

You can get help to apply for a Funeral Support Payment from several places.

Getting help from Social Security Scotland

You can get help from Social Security Scotland's local delivery service. Phone Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 to make an appointment.

You could arrange:

• a home visit

• a video or phone call

• a meeting in a local community centre.

A client support adviser can go through the application with you. They'll answer questions about the application and help you with any supporting information you need to provide.

You can also fill in a form to authorise someone to speak to Social Security Scotland on your behalf. This might be helpful if you feel unable to find the information you need or understand things about your application. You can download a third-party authorisation form on mygov.scot.

Get help from an advocate if you're disabled

If you’re disabled or have a health condition, you can get help from the Independent Advocacy Service with appealing a Social Security Scotland decision. The service is provided by VoiceAbility.

You can get an advocate to help you express your views, get the information you need and make decisions.

You can get an advocate by:

• asking Social Security Scotland to refer you to the Independent Advocacy Service. Find out how to contact Social Security Scotland on mygov.scot

• contacting VoiceAbility. Find out more on the VoiceAbility website.

You won’t be eligible for the service if you already have someone acting for you, such as an appointee or someone with a power of attorney.

After you apply

Social Security Scotland might call to talk about your application. 

What you say will be used to decide whether you should get the payment. The call will be recorded. If there's anything you're not sure about, it's best to say you don't know. You can also say if you need more time to think. 

You might be asked:

• why it's reasonable for you to get the payment, if you're not the closest relative

• how you travelled to the funeral and if there was a cheaper option

• what's covered by the funeral plan, if there is one

• if the person who died had an estate and who the executor is - Social Security Scotland will recover the payment from the estate later on, if there’s money available.

Tell the case worker any other facts that you think will be important for your application.

Social Security Scotland might ask you to send in evidence by post or electronically. Send evidence as soon as possible so you don't delay your application. Contact them if you don't think you can get the evidence they need or it's going to take you a while. 

Getting a decision letter

After they've got all the evidence they need, Social Security Scotland aims to decide your application within 10 working days. 

They'll write to tell you if you've been awarded the Funeral Support Payment.

If you don't agree with the amount, or your application is refused, check:

• the reasons why - there might be something you didn't raise or wasn't considered

• the break-down of what you were awarded - make sure you've received all the money you're entitled to

• what was deducted - check the figures are correct.

If something's not right, you can ask for your application to be looked at again. 

How much the payment will be

Social Security Scotland will add up the reasonable costs you would be entitled to and then deduct money the person who died had, that you can access.

It's expected that the average payment will be £1,950 but it will depend on your circumstances.  

It's unlikely to cover the whole cost of the average funeral, unless you choose a low-cost option like a direct cremation. 

What the payment should cover 

The cost of a cremation, burial or alkaline hydrolysis varies across the UK. Check how much help you can get towards burial and cremation costs in Scottish council areas on mygov.scot.

The maximum payment you can get will be capped at what your costs would be for a funeral taking place where the person was living before they died. If you have a funeral somewhere else, and your actual costs are higher, you'll need to cover them yourself. 

This cap also applies if you’re arranging a funeral outside the UK. The maximum payment you could get is capped at what your costs would be for a funeral in the UK, in the area where the person who died was living. The payment won’t cover any extra costs you might have, like transporting the body to another country.  

The payment should include:

• the published fees for the burial or cremation 

• the cost of doctor's references or certificates for the funeral - these aren't usually needed in Scotland

• removing medical devices like pacemakers, for cremation – capped at £25.35.

• the cost of any documents to access money - for example in a funeral plan or bank account 

• some travel and transport costs 

• a standard flat fee for other costs - £1,257.75 or £153.50 if there was a funeral plan.

You can’t claim for:

• costs covered by a funeral plan - you'll need to check what the plan covers

• the cost of burying cremated ashes

• the cost of a burial plot, if you've chosen to use a burial plot or lair you already own

• a memorial service or remembrance - where a burial or cremation isn't taking place.

Most councils in Scotland don't charge for the burial or cremation of people 17 years old or younger. The payment won't cover any costs you didn't have to pay. 

Social Security Scotland might check the costs with you or the funeral director to confirm how much you paid and that it wasn't already covered by a funeral plan. 

You might be asked to provide evidence, like travel receipts.

Deductions from your Funeral Support Payment

The amount of Funeral Support Payment you get will be reduced if the person who died was 18 or over and there's money you can access to help pay for the funeral, like:

• money in an insurance policy, burial club or pension 

• cash in their bank account, but not joint accounts

• a grant from Veterans UK.

The amount of payment you get won't be affected by money from:

• benefit arrears due to the person who died - for example, money they were awarded on appeal 

• contributions from relatives, friends, charities or crowdfunding towards the funeral bill 

• a DWP Bereavement Support Payment you get - check if you're eligible on GOV.UK

• their will or estate, that you have to go through a legal process to get - called probate in England and Wales or Confirmation in Scotland. Social Security Scotland may recover the money later though.

If money from the estate becomes available after you get a payment

Social Security Scotland might try to get back money. It will be counted as a priority debt that must be paid before money is handed out to the family.

If the payment is recovered, any money you were due to inherit might be reduced. 

If you've missed the deadline to apply

You normally need to apply within 6 months of the funeral. You might be able to apply after that if you:

• were waiting for a decision about a qualifying benefit

• missed the deadline because of coronavirus.

Get help from your local Citizens Advice Bureau if you're not sure whether you can still apply.

If your application is refused

If your application is refused or your payment is lower than you think it should be, you can ask for your application to be looked at again. This is called a re-determination.

You can ask for this up to 31 days later, starting with the day you’re told the result of your application.

If you miss this deadline for a good reason, for example you were very ill or hospitalised after the funeral, Social Security Scotland might still allow you to ask for a re-determination.

You should get an answer within 12 weeks and 1 working day.

Find out how to ask for a re-determination. 

Paying for the rest of the funeral

You should try to avoid taking on high-interest debt like loans or credit cards because these can cost more in the long-run. 

You can get help towards the cost without affecting your Funeral Support Payment. For example:

• friends and family  

• a Bereavement Support Payment 

• trade unions and associations, if you or the person who died was in one

• charitable grants (except from Veterans UK) – try the Turn 2 Us grant search engine

• crowdfunding 

• a budgeting advance, if you get Universal Credit

• a budgeting loan if you're getting certain other benefits. Check if can get a budgeting loan on gov.uk

Some of these might need to be paid back, like a budgeting advance for Universal Credit or a budgeting loan. You should explore options that don't need to be paid back before you take on debt. 

If you don’t pay the bill on time, the funeral director could take action for payment of the debt. If this happens, speak to an adviser at a Citizens Advice Bureau as soon as possible.